Basics of Property Management: Screening Potential Tenants
House Hunting And Chronic Pain: 3 Things To Consider
Jesse Obrien
If you suffer from chronic pain and have begun to house hunt, you've likely considered how your needs will impact your options. To ensure that you find the perfect home for you, be sure to ask yourself these three questions prior to purchasing a home.
Will the Home Be Easily Accessible on Your Worst Days?
When purchasing a home, it's important to consider how accessible your home will be on your worst pain days.
If you suffer from hip or knee pain, for example, you may want to avoid homes with master bedrooms on the second floor. For those who suffer from back or shoulder pain, is there enough eye-level storage space so you won't have to continuously strain to reach essential items? It's important to plan for the worst days, because these will be the days where your home's layout and accessibility will matter the most.
Can the Home Be Easily Adapted to Fit Your Needs?
If you suspect that you may need the help of a wheelchair or walker in the future, or if you already utilize one, consider this when house hunting.
For example, homes with open layouts are the easiest for wheelchair users to navigate because they have a lot of floor space and they also tend to have wider door frames. The extra space can also make it easier for accommodations to be added down the line. As bathroom remodels tend to be the most complicated, also consider whether the first floor bathroom can be adapted to allow for a wheelchair and whether the bath can be replaced with a more easily accessible option. Before investing in a home, you need to know how realistic your future plans are and whether the home can be remodeled to fit those needs.
Can You Afford to Remodel the Home?
If you foresee needing to make future changes, or if you'd like to make the changes immediately after purchasing, consider whether the cost of the home is low enough that you'll also be able to afford to remodel.
It's important that you find a home that you can comfortably afford but that will also give you the wiggle room necessary in your budget to save for a future remodel. Instead of waiting, do you plan to remodel immediately? Then you may want to consider purchasing a fixer-upper. Fixer-upper homes are lower cost, but many allow you to start with a blank slate and create the home you need.
To learn more about how you can find a home to fit your medical needs, consult with a local real estate agent today.
Share
For the last several years, I've used a property management firm to help with my rental properties. One of the tasks that they handle for me is screening applicants who would like to move into one of my vacant units. Their expertise has helped me lower my tenant turnover and find people who want to stay with me for years. Part of the process is a tenant screening credit check. Before any further contact takes place, my manager orders credit reports from at least two agencies. That is enough to tell us if an applicant is a good financial risk. Assuming the references work out, I meet the candidate and make the final decision. If you own rental properties, let me tell you more about the benefits of having a property manager. I'm betting you'll find this type of arrangement will work for you too.